In the Modern Waltz. As we are probably aware there are in a bar of music 3 beats. In between each beat there is a space which we call and.Usually it is taught that the count in the Waltz is 1 and 2 and 3 and . It now seems some instead of counting 1 and. count and 1. and 2 and 3. The idea seems to be that our heel arrives on the and count and our toe lowers to the floor on the beat of 1, at the same time we also flex our knees. Give it a go before making any comments. It would seem in the first example the heel would arrive on the beat and the toe lowers after the beat, where we will also flex our knees.. Its all a matter of what feels the best.

THere are two different things here. The musical count is most definitely 1&2&3&, in the sense that you have to count '1' on the first beat, 2 on the second etc. This is musically speaking.
As far as dancing goes, i believe there is no specification of how the steps are to be made relative to the music.
THe concept that the heel arrives on the AND and the toe lowers to the floor on the next beat - this may be a way to dance, but i'm not aware that it's in the technique book. What about the concept that the toe lowers 'immediately'
I assume that you're not just talking about preparation steps

Phil. This first came to my attention when I was told that in the Samba I was dancing behind the beat in the straight out Walks and Locks. The footwork on one step is Ball Flat. I was arriving on the ball on the beat on a Ball. This is wrong. The heel should be on the floor on the beat. I was chasing the music. The concept in the Waltz is that there has to be an amount of time spent lowering the toe to the floor and also the weight arriving and the knee bending. They don't all happen at the same time do they. If we look at the computer images of a Forward Walk on this site and imagine one dancer is like a beginner dancing one right on the beat. beside another using the timing one (and). The third person using (and) one. They are all different to each other. The music playing does not alter.It is the same for all three. We should also remember that a Walk starts as the moving foot passes the standing foot and finishes as the other arrives under the body. Interesting isn't it, playing with the music.

Word of caution for you....



Scriv. ( again ) quote....

Dont get hung up on your feet and forget how to dance .

Len Scrivener used to teach the Tango two Walks Link. Closed Promenade. By calling Stop Stop Quick Stop Stop Quick Stop Stop. I remember it well. Then we have Irvine who said on a Feather Step accentuate that first Quick. Neither of them were backward in altering a few thing around. Can you remember when both John Wood and Chris Hawkins were criticised for arriving behind the beat in the Modern Waltz. I think all of the above gentlemen would have said Go for it.

I have a program from a lecture that Bill did for the ISTD in N.Jersey in (1982 ?) where he, like Len, gave great issue to the lack of understanding ,of HOW Tango should be danced, talking about how the( " stillness ") had all but disappeared .

I still teach that mantra , and have done so for over 40 plus yrs .

The swing ,swing, practice is evident even at top flite levels .

Hi terence
Tango is my weak dance. Your word 'stillness' struck a chord. Would you please say a bit more about it. Or is there a good link to something? I tend to use all my body (i mean, even the wrong parts)to get staccato and power in my tango. Stillness sounds like something i'm missing.
I go to a very good teacher, who's doing a great job on me, but i've learnt in life that occasionally, the right word at the right time can have a big effect.
If i can just digress with an anecdote here. About 3 years ago, we were having some trouble with fallaways (as in fallaway, reverse turn, slip pivot) especially in tango. then we went to a workshop by Chris Hawkins who spoke about fallaway in slow waltz (we do it in waltz also) He demonstrated it and casually mentioned that when going into the fallaway position (man's left foot back in prom position, moving back along LOD) you must 'of course' think of your body still turning to the right. So you keep contact with the lady and she knows where you are.
Just that one sentence transformed all our fallaways - almost instantly. I was opening up my left side and my partner couldn't stay with me. It made so much sense. Just the right word at the right time.

WHAT I AM ABOUT TO PRINT ARE NOT MY WORDS , BUT IN ESSENCE, THOSE OF SCRIVENER ET AL.

THE MUSICAL PHRASING THAT WE DANCE TO IN TANGO , SHOULD TELL A STORY.

THE " DELAYS " WE HAVE ,ARE TO EMPHASISE A POINT WITHIN THE MUSIC .

TAKE THE BASIC EXERCISE OF 2 WALKS, AND AS YOU DANCE THEM SAY.... STEP HOLD.. AND STEP HOLD , DELAYING THE BACK FOOT IN EACH INSTANCE.

ANOTHER METHOD... AS YOU COMMENCE TO MOVE THE REAR LEG TO ITS NEXT POSITION, SAY " CATCH ", CLOSING IT CLOSE TO THE SUPPORTING LEG WITHOUT WEIGHT .

IN REALITY, THE WEIGHT IS SUPPOSED TO BE DIVIDED BETWEEN THE FEET, ON SUCH PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENTS... REASON ?.. ITS THERE TO PREVENT THE "SWING " ACTION THAT IS EVIDENT IN THE " SWING " DANCES .

PICK AND PLACE, IS THE ORDER OF THE DAY .
ALLOW CONTRAST TO DEPICT MOOD .

THE HALLMARK OF TOP PRO,S WAS ALWAYS THE EXERCISE THEY CONTROLLED OVER THEIR DESIRE TO MOVE INTO A POSITION TOO RAPIDLY ( AND OR RAPIDLY ) AS THE CASE MAY BE .

ITS INTERESTING THAT SCRIV. BELIEVED TANGO TO BE THE EASIEST OF THE 5 DANCES.

WHAT HE ACTUALLY MEANT WAS THIS.. YOU ARE ABLE TO GET AROUND THE FLOOR WITH VERY FEW VARIATIONS, WITH SIMPLE WALKING ACTIONS .

I FIND IT THE ONE DANCE THAT HAS SO MANY DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS, OF WHICH ALL MAY BE CORRECT ( EXCEPT THE SWING ACTION )

Terence. Good one. You might have mentioned the curving to the left created by the knees being veered into each other and of course the inside edge of the whole foot which is down as I.E. of Whole Foot.
I read that in Spain in the beginning the Tango was often danced in a dusty market place. Because an audience always forms a circle and never a square. This resulted in the steps being curved. The lifting and placing of the feet was because of the dusty dry loose surface that they danced on. Makes sense to me.

Commonly refered to as the " Wine glass " effect .